editing disabled
Actions
Navigation

October Issue

World

Edit 0 42 …

Flying SoloWhat I experienced this summer was unlike anything else. - by Holly Cairns

To some individuals, a fresh environment is a new start, the opportunity to become someone different. To others, relocating to a whole new world can be both nerve-wracking and terrifying. I have found from personal experience, this statement is incredibly accurate.

My family and I are often chosen to host international students. In the past two years, I have experienced the most memorable moments of my life, and have met many people I will never forget, one of these individuals being Laura Froehlich from North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany. Laura came into my home in August, 2008 and during the four months she spent at my home, she truly became a part of my family, which caused our goodbyes to be far from pleasant.

Although many international students have told me of the emotional impact relocation has had on them, it was impossible for me to comprehend its complexity until this summer when their experiences became my reality. On June 17th, I set off toward Europe for a total of ten weeks. I was, literally, flying solo. After 24 hours of hectic airports, stuffy airplanes with screaming children and not-so-delicious meals, I arrived in Frankfurt, Germany.

Never having traveled alone in my life and never leaving North America, the Frankfurt airport, a whopping 9 kilometers in length, did not help to soothe my nerves. When I exited the aircraft after flying over the Atlantic Ocean for 8 hours, there was nothing more I could have done than to follow the crowd from my flight and pray that they would lead me to the luggage claim. After an hour and a half of walking, waiting for my suitcases and explaining to others that I didn’t speak much German, I finally found Laura and her father.

In my first 24 hours in Germany, I began to understand the meaning of culture shock. It felt as if I was on another planet surrounded by windows and doors I didn’t know how to open or lock, houses that looked alien to me, and a language I could scarcely understand. I learned rather quickly to avoid speaking English in public as it caused everyone in earshot to look my way. All this sudden change caused my head to spin. I then realized that this is what every exchange student must experience when coming to our country.

The 10 weeks I spent with the Froehlich family were wonderful, and were without a doubt the best weeks of my life. Germany is an extraordinary country filled with the most beautiful architecture and surroundings I could have imagined. This experience has taught me about myself, what I am capable of, and that my previous understanding of the world was limited. I now find myself capable of relating to others who have relocated to another country much like our very own exchange students at Leo Hayes. When I see them walking through the packed hallways, I smile as I realize that their learning experience has only just begun.

Japan Plans 25% Cut in Emissions
By Nao Omoto
Japan's incoming new prime minister, Hatoyama, promised on September 24th to aim for a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. This is one of the most ambitious plans proposed by any country and is more aggressive than previous action in Japan.

Environmentalists are very impressed by Japan’s new plan. The previous prime minister, Taro Aso, had plans to only cut emissions by 8%. Similar proposals by other countries will be part of the agenda at a major international conference in December in Denmark.

Hatoyama said Japan would adopt the 25% goal, which was one of the Democrats' campaign pledges, in a speech at an environmental forum in Tokyo. Will Japan be able to reach this goal by 2020?

Crisis in Sudan
By Anne Yeomans

Sudan is a country that borders Chad and has been under conflict for the last fifty years but their only enemy happens to be themselves, and it is most pronounced in Darfur. The present conflict is a result of separation between the North, which is more advanced, and the South. There is a major division between the Sunni MuslimsChristians. These are the main causes that have led to the murders being committed today. It is estimated, according to the United Nations, that there has been 300,000 deaths in the last five years. It also approximated that 2.5 million people have fled their homes to escape the present conflict. Britain has stationed troops in Sudan but they are inactive.
Last year, Omir Al-Bashir, the Head of State in Sudan, expelled foreign aid agencies from the country; the UN is still deciding whether or not this was a violation of human rights. In March of 2009 the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Al-Bashir’s arrest. The indictment is for Crimes against humanity, war Crimes and Genocide. He has yet to be arrested due to the fact that the UN is unable in force a country to participate.

World Health Organization (WHO) claims that the ongoing situation has only escalated and has stretched to the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It has caused many refugees to flee into neighboring areas which is having an effect on health situations.

Due to the situation in Darfur and the economic standstill many people live in poverty with poor health conditions and primarily rely on agriculture. Ironically enough Sudan is thought to be sitting on at least 200 billion barrels of oil that cannot be exploited due to conflict.
Sorry Everyone; Schools Are Expected to Stay Open
By Montana MacDonald

The Public Health Agency of Canada has released a statement saying it “continues to recommend against the widespread proactive closure of schools” and will leave said closures to individual school districts and their provinces in respect to the H1N1 virus. The PHAC statement continued on to say that it does not believe that closing schools will be effective in preventing the transmission of the H1N1 virus, and that as of now, there are more benefits to keeping the schools open. Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones, agreed, saying; “Schools, daycares and post secondary institutions can play a crucial role in our pandemic response… Keeping schools open is an excellent way to educate and inform students and their families, minimize the impact of the virus on society and the economy, and it offers a good environment to administer the pandemic vaccine.”

Many organizations disagree with this strategy, though. The World Health Organization, or WHO, recommends the complete closure of schools and companies who are at high risk for infection so as to limit the spread of the virus. Even some Canadian citizens disagree with the government; 85 percent of students who were surveyed by a study from the University of Toronto said that they would suspend their civil rights in the event of an outbreak. That means they would agree to measures including mandatory bans on travelling and a restriction on the right to assemble.

Meanwhile, our own vaccines and prevention measures are starting to take effect here in New Brunswick. Our immunization clinics are expected to open on October 26th, while many health officials have already received their shots. Those who have priority include First Nation people, children and those with chronic conditions, according to the Canadian Press. But, those who receive the vaccination must remember that this is not a cure-all; there is still a chance of getting ill. "Influenza vaccination of all types including pandemic does not totally prevent you from exposure to the disease or infection," Dr. Paul Van Buynder, the deputy chief medical officer of health for New Brunswick, says: "But it will make sure that if you are infected you will have a much milder case of the disease."